The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dan-Abia

  • ‘N183b not missing from NDDC’

    The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dan Abia on Wednesday denied the allegation that N183.7 billion was missing from the commission’s account.

    The special periodic check report of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation had claimed that N183.7 billion was mismanaged by the commission.

    The Auditor-General of the Federation, Samuel Ukura, had insisted that his office stand by the report and directed those not satisfied to prepare to defend their position before a special committee of the National Assembly.

    But Abia in a chat with State House Correspondents after leading top officials of the commission to meet President Muhammadu Buhari, said the claim was not true.

    According to him, he was not even the Managing Director of the Commission during the period the AGF mentioned in his report.

    He said his hands are clean and will be ready to defend the allegation with the records available at the commission.

  • Group hails NDDC chief Dan-Abia

    The National Convener of Journalists-for-Humanity, Mr. Nkeneke Efo, has praised the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Barrister Bassey Dan-Abia, for being focused and committed to his job.

    In a release in Uyo, Efo said Dan-Abia’s NDDC intervened in roads repairs and rehabilitation and made the roads passable during the Christmas season.

    “Of particular note is the spoilt section of the Abak-Ikot Abasi Road which it awarded to Messrs Base Engineering. The place was so bad that commuters had to divert to the East-West Road through Mkpat Enin which was also bad but this changed as the NDDC worked on the road just before Christmas. We commend the intervention of the Managing Director who has shown that he is in the Commission to work and not for show.”

    Efo also said the NDDC under Barrister Dan-Abia is embarking on several other road projects, some of which was abandoned by his predecessors.

    “In giving Barrister Dan-Abia kudos, I also appreciate a focused Chairman of the Commission, Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw, who is always on the move to make sure the core reason for the creation of NDDC is achieved.”

    He said if Dan-Abia maintains his focus, the Commission will be one of the greatest performance indices of the federal government in due time.

    The National Convener further advised government agencies to take a cue from the Barrister Dan-Abia led NDDC by putting in their best for the common man whom they were placed in the position to protect.

     

  • NDDC MD appointment: Orashi youths lift embargo on oil fields  

    Orashi Youths Organization in Rivers State yesterday lifted the embargo it placed on the oil fields belonging to their local government area when it became clear that their candidate, Chief Dan Abia, was accepted as the Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The youth body, last month placed restriction on the activities of oil companies operating in their area, demanding that all oil companies in the area must support Chief Abia for the appointment as MD of NDDC.

    Orashi is made of four oil producing Local Governments in Rivers State including Ahoada West, Ahoada East, Abua/Odual and Ogba Egbema/Ndoni Local Government areas.

    The group thanked President Jonathan for backing Chief Abia and his subsequent clearance by the National House of Assembly who approved him as the MD of NDDC, saying he is the best man for the job.

    The President of Orashi youths, Comrade Napoleon Adah, said the youths had planned to disrupt activities of the oil companies in the area if Chief Dan Abia was not given the opportunity to serve the region as the MD.

    Comrade Adah said: “We ordered that all the oil companies operating should not make use of our oil wells because some of them are not supporting our interest. With the appointment of our candidate as the MD of NDDC, we hereby lift the embargo.

    “The appointment of Chief Dan Abia is for the best interest of Niger Delta region. He is not a new person when it comes to policy and management of NDDC. His experience in the commission is the more reason why we are happy about his appointment.

    “As oil producing local governments, we are a strong-hold in Rivers State that is why we supported Chief Abia as to maintain peace in our oil reach communities because we have decided not to allow our oil to be tapped if our candidate did not emerge as the MD of NDDC.”

  • Ewa-Henshaw, Dan-Abia nominated for NDDC posts

    Ewa-Henshaw, Dan-Abia nominated for NDDC posts

     …Osunbor for Law Reform Commission

    President Goodluck Jonathan has nominated Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw and Barrister Bassey Dan-Abia as Chairman and Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) respectively.

    The names of the nominees were contained in letter Jonathan sent to the Senate for consideration and confirmation.

    The President also forwarded the name of former Governor of Edo State, Prof. Osarhiemen Osunbor to the Senate as Chairman, Nigerian Law Reform Commission.

    While Ewa-Henshaw was nominated to represent Cross River in the NDDC, Dan-Abia was named to represent Akwa Ibom.

    Others whose names were forwarded to the Senate for confirmation were- Itotenaan Henry Ogiri (ED Finance and Admin) Rivers, Engr. Tuoyo Omatsulu (ED Projects) Delta, Ball Turofade Oyarede (Bayelsa), Chief Ephraim Sobere Etete (Rivers), Etim Inyang Jnr (Akwa Ibom), Adah Paul Andeshi (Cross River) and Sir Tom Amioku (Delta)

    Also nominated as representatives in the commission were – Samuel Okezie Nwogu (Abia), Uchegbu Chidiebere Kyrian (Imo), Maj. Gen. Suleiman B. Said (North Central), Alh. Abdulmaik Mahmud (North East), Enikuomehin B.G. Olorungbonju (Ondo) and Mark Ward.

    Jonathan noted that subsequent to the dissolution of the Governing Board of the Commission on the September 13, 2011, nomination for its reconstitution have been compiled in accordance with Section 2(1) of the NDDC Act.

    On the Law Reform Commission, Mr. Kefas Magaji (North East), Mr. P.C. Okorie (South East) and Mrs. Zainab Ibrahim (North Central) were nominated for confirmation as commissioners.